More Than Friends
by Cress
Summary: Joey:Chandler slash. A short, simple tale set after episode 214, TOW The Prom Video.
1. The Friend Zone

[This Joey/Chandler story refers back to various season two episodes, such as TOW The List, and TO After The Superbowl.]  
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Ross and Rachel kissed for a long time after Monica switched off the prom video, but then they felt the eyes of the whole gang upon them and retreated to the balcony to talk in private. The other four found it all very sweet and wonderful, hugging each other and dancing around in celebration.  
  
When Joey and Chandler returned to their apartment that night, they still carried that warm and fuzzy feeling with them.  
  
"How great is that?" Joey asked.  
  
"I know, man!" Chandler smiled, clapping Joey's shoulder excitedly.  
  
"I can't believe that a year ago we were telling Ross it was never gonna happen."  
  
"Yeah, stupid me! If I had just told Ross it *could* happen, then he wouldn't have pursued Julie in China, and Ross and Rachel could have been together as soon as he got back from the airport."  
  
"Wow, that would've been great!"  
  
"And, and if I had just deleted that stupid list of pros and cons from my computer as soon as we were done typing it, then Ross and Rachel would've been together right after Ross broke up with Julie."  
  
"Oh yeah. That was you too."  
  
"Yep, but it's not me anymore!" Chandler did a little dance around the living room and almost lost the gold bracelet on his wrist, but he quickly caught it, knowing how much it meant to Joey. "Whew! I am so glad that it finally worked out where even I couldn't wreck it! They must really be meant to be or something."  
  
"Yeah." Joey smiled, thinking of Phoebe's expression. "Lobsters."  
  
"Go, lobsters!" he cheered ridiculously. "Oh, I could just--I could hug you again!"  
  
Joey extended his arms. "Hug me."  
  
"Okay!" Chandler hugged him, then sat down on a chair and laughed at his silly behavior. "I don't know why I'm so happy. It's almost like I had a new girlfriend or something, but I don't. Maybe my life's really sad if I'm living vicariously through my friends."  
  
"Nah, it can't be that. *My* life isn't sad, and I'm all happy too." He didn't even notice the insult embedded in his words, and Chandler just let it go with a smile.  
  
Joey stood next to Chandler and put his arm around his shoulders. "Just so you know, it wasn't all your fault about Ross and Rachel taking so long. Ross should've made his move way sooner, before you accidentally revealed his feelings at Rachel's birthday party."  
  
Chandler pondered that with amusement. "Huh! So in some way, he owes it all to me, for letting it slip out. Cool!"  
  
Joey nodded and fondly brushed his fingers through Chandler's hair.  
  
"Hey!" Chandler protested mildly. "You think I need a new do or something?"  
  
"No, I just..." He sighed and trailed off. Then, deciding to seize the moment, he pulled up a chair near Chandler and sat down. "Hey, listen, I was just wondering something. You know how Ross and Rachel started out as friends and now, finally, they're together?"  
  
"Uh-huh. What about it?"  
  
"Well, do you think that, you know, dating a friend can really work out? I mean, when you're friends for so long, don't you kinda get comfortable that way and settled?"  
  
"How do you mean, Joe?"  
  
"Well, um, wouldn't it feel weird to suddenly be, you know, kissing your friend and getting naked with them and everything?"  
  
Chandler shrugged. "I don't know. I never had a friendship turn into a relationship. But it seems to me that whatever gets you out of the friend zone and into some serious lovin' can only be a good thing."  
  
Joey smiled, feeling encouraged. "So it wouldn't ruin the friendship?"  
  
"Friendship, schmendship! Once you start having the feelings, you can't just sit there and swallow them. Just ask Ross how miserable he was being 'just friends' with Rachel!"  
  
Joey laughed a little, and decided to go ahead. "So then, maybe it would be okay if you and me, um..." He raised his eyebrows and touched Chandler's hand softly.  
  
Chandler's face changed as he realized that Joey was leaning in for a kiss. He suddenly jumped to his feet and backed away, almost tripping over himself in his panic. "What! Hey! I'm--I'm not gay!" He laughed in a jittery, uneasy way. "I know it might seem like I am sometimes, but I'm not. I'm not gay!"  
  
Joey stared at him a moment, then shrugged and laughed loudly. "I was only joking."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"You know, to freak you out." He pointed at Chandler. "Gotcha!"  
  
Chandler looked more relieved than angry. "Oh! Oh, good one. That's--that's... Oh my God, you scared me there. Don't--don't do that again." He quickly said good night and retreated inside his bedroom.  
  
As Chandler shut the door, Joey stopped laughing and frowned to himself. In the silence, he got up and stood just outside the door, staring at it and touching it sadly with his fingers. He wasn't joking.  
  
Finally, Joey walked away and headed for his own room. As he did so, he glanced at the gold bracelet on his wrist, a matching one that Chandler had bought for him today. Suddenly, the engraving "to my best bud" didn't feel so great and meaningful as it had before. He ached to be more than just a buddy, but realized now that it wasn't going to happen, not ever. Joey took off the bracelet and shoved it inside a desk drawer, then went to bed. 


	2. Bracelet Buddies

In the morning, Chandler got dressed for work and puzzled over how to hide his bracelet from his co-workers. He still hated wearing the flashy thing, no matter how nice the sentiment behind it. If Joey *had* to give him any kind of jewelry, then why not a nice watch or cufflinks or something? Still, Chandler couldn't get rid of it now, so he would have to grin and bear it.  
  
As Chandler ate breakfast, Joey passed by him on his way out the door. "Hey, Joey!"  
  
Joey grunted something and put on his coat.  
  
What was up with him? Then Chandler noticed something. "Hey, you're not wearing the bracelet."  
  
"Oh, that. I, uh, I decided not to wear it anymore. You don't have to wear yours either."  
  
"Wow!" Chandler was relieved but confused. "Why the sudden change?"  
  
"Nothing. You know, what you said before, about saving it for a special occasion."  
  
"Oh, okay. See ya, Joe."  
  
"See ya."  
  
After Joey left, Chandler took off his bracelet and went over to his desk to return it to its box. When he opened the drawer, however, he found Joey's bracelet carelessly thrown inside. Strange. The box was right there, if he wanted to put the bracelet properly away, but no, Joey had just left the bracelet to get scratched up by the various contents of the drawer. Why would he do that? Chandler frowned, mystified, and put both the bracelets safely away.  
  
***  
  
While working in his office that day, Chandler kept thinking about Joey and the bracelets, but couldn't understand it. It felt like he was missing something, but what? Chandler called home and left a message on their machine, asking Joey if he wanted to come meet him for lunch, but Joey never returned the call, nor did he ever arrive at the office. Chandler ordered in, trying to make sure that he didn't miss Joey, and then wound up with too much food after Joey didn't show.  
  
This was frustrating. Had he somehow offended Joey again? Or worse, had one of their other friends let slip how much Chandler still hated the bracelet, or even how had he lost it for a while and inadvertently wound up with two? That sounded right, except that Joey didn't speak to anybody else this morning before leaving.  
  
So what had happened, and when? Joey seemed perfectly happy and fine last night. In fact, Joey had felt enough at ease to joke about becoming more than friends.  
  
Suddenly, it dawned on Chandler that Joey must not have been joking. Oh no! Throwing on his coat and grabbing the extra food, Chandler hurriedly told his secretary that he had an emergency at home and had to take off early. 


	3. The Confrontation

When Chandler arrived at their apartment, his arms were full, so he knocked.  
  
"Who is it?" Joey answered after a pause.  
  
"It's me. Can you get the door?"  
  
"Chan--Chandler? What are you doing here?" He sounded anxious.  
  
"I left you a message, but you didn't come for lunch, so I brought it home to you."  
  
"But--but you can't just leave work. What do you think you are, an actor?"  
  
"Joey, I'm waiting with food!"  
  
"All right." Joey reluctantly came to the door and let Chandler in, but he hid behind the door and then quickly got out of the way as Chandler put the take-out boxes down in the kitchen.  
  
When Chandler looked up, Joey was already heading toward his bedroom. "Wait, Joey, where are you going?"  
  
Joey stopped but didn't turn around to face Chandler. "I gotta go rehearse some lines."  
  
"I'll rehearse them with you. Come back, we'll have some food and talk, okay?"  
  
"No thanks. I'm not hungry now. I gotta go."  
  
"Joey, please!" Chandler rushed over to him. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"  
  
Joey paused at his door and took an uneasy breath. "Sorry about what? Wh-what are you getting all emotional for?" He still wouldn't face Chandler, and felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.  
  
Chandler swallowed, and spoke more softly. "I know, okay? I know about last night."  
  
Despite his misery, Joey still put on an air of bravado, "Last night? Come on, that was nothing. I can get any girl I want, and you think I care about, about...?" He trailed off when he felt Chandler take his arm.  
  
"Joey," he whispered sympathetically. "I--I had no idea."  
  
He pulled away from Chandler and scoffed. "No idea? You thought I was serious when you had that panic attack over there. Just, just forget about it, okay?"  
  
"No! Joey," Chandler grabbed him again and tried turning him around. "I know I reacted badly, but we've gotta talk about this."  
  
"You mean talk about how you're not gay?" Joey asked resentfully. "I think we've established that fact just fine."  
  
"I'm so, so sorry! You caught me off guard there. Up until that kiss, I had no clue that you weren't just talking about Ross and Rachel getting together. I didn't know you were, you were having feelings for me. I mean, when did this start? How? I never thought you could be gay in a million years."  
  
Joey sighed heavily and finally turned around, hiding his face a little as he went over to the couch to sit down.  
  
Chandler followed him and watched him anxiously.  
  
"Um," Joey started with difficulty, "um, I'm not sure what I am anymore. I've liked girls for so long, but lately I've been having all these, these new feelings I don't know what to do with. Remember when I told you guys that I dated a girl with a big Adam's apple? You told me she couldn't have been a woman, and it got me all confused, you know? I mean, I can vividly remember making out with her, er, him--whatever!" He put his thumb and index finger close together. "I was this close to sleeping with her before I broke up with her. This close, Chandler!"  
  
He patted Joey's shoulder comfortingly and tried to imagine the predicament.  
  
Joey struggled on. "So then I started wondering what that meant about me. You know, what if I *had* slept with her--and liked it? What if I really like guys too? And I noticed how you and me, we're close and we're always hugging. And whenever Ross and Rachel seemed to be getting together, we'd think it was so sweet, you know, and you'd be touching me and rubbing my back. It--it just felt really good, and it seemed like maybe you liked me too. And I saw you wearing that little hot pink g-string, and um, I thought to myself, 'If I ever did sleep with a guy, it would be Chandler.' But we're buddies, you know, so I didn't do anything."  
  
Joey shrugged. "Anyway, I wanted to do something nice for you, so I paid you back that money, and I got you that bracelet. Even the engraver guy at the store kept looking at me like, 'A bracelet for your buddy? Are you kidding?' but I bought it anyway. When I found out you didn't like it, it hurt me, but then you got me one too, and it made me so happy. Too happy, I guess. Then, then you know about Ross and Rachel kissing last night, and why I did that stupid, stupid thing." He swallowed and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Chandler. I just--I just thought you wanted me too." He put his head down in his hands, feeling depressed and lonely.  
  
Chandler stared at Joey and wasn't sure what to say to all of this. He felt really bad for Joey and hugged his shoulders without thinking. Even after he realized that this touch might be misconstrued, Chandler held on anyway. "I'm--I'm sorry, you know? I mean, I'm really flattered, Joe, and I wish I could give you what you want, but--"  
  
"But you're not gay," Joey finished for him.  
  
Reminded of the hysterical scene he had made, Chandler felt more guilty and repeated lamely, "I'm sorry."  
  
Joey sighed again, and didn't say anything else.  
  
Chandler rambled on. "I mean, if I ever slept with a guy, it would be you too, Joey!" He stopped and frowned when he realized what he'd said. "Um, uh," he cleared his throat and spoke in what he hoped was a more masculine tone, "that is, if I was gay or if I was a girl, I'd--I'd be with you like that!" He snapped his fingers.  
  
"You don't have to say this--" Joey tried to stop him.  
  
"No, no! I want to say it. You gotta know how much you mean to me. I don't wanna make you sad, Joey! Tell me how to make this better."  
  
Joey shook his head. "Just--just give me some time."  
  
But Chandler couldn't stop himself, like a train wreck in the making. "You're--you're so great, Joey! You're fun. You're hot. If you like guys, that just means that you'll have a whole new set of bars to pick up dates from. You can get much better guys than me, I swear. If you want, I can, I can set you up with some guys from my office. Huh, how's that sound?"  
  
"Chandler!" he was getting upset. "What--what I was talking about last night, that was about us. Us! Nobody else. Will you just give it a rest?"  
  
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"  
  
Joey got up to retreat into his bedroom.  
  
"No, no, no! Don't go!" Chandler begged, starting to follow him.  
  
"Stop it!" Joey shook him off. "I wish I had never said anything, or tried to kiss you, or..." he choked regretfully, "or seen you wearing that g-string."  
  
Chandler shivered a little at the idea that Joey had been looking at him lustfully and not just mockingly during Susie Moss's underwear prank. "Joey... I love you, I love you as much as I can, but--but," he shrugged helplessly and his voice became strained, "I just couldn't be with you like that. I hear you through the wall all the time, making those girls moan, and I-I can't..." He gulped and couldn't quite breathe. "I mean, I barely put on that hot pink g-string for Susie Moss! If it was for you, um..." His throat went dry.  
  
Joey closed his eyes and admitted softly, "I would've worn it for you."  
  
Chandler's ears perked up suddenly, and his eyes went wide. "You--you would?" He blinked in shock and absorbed the new idea as if intrigued. "Y-you mean if we did it, you wouldn't just assume that I... you know, like your girls? You'd--you'd really do it?"  
  
Joey stared at Chandler and was confused by his stammering. "You're not gay?" he found himself asking. "You just said so, and last night--"  
  
"Yeah, I thought, I thought..." Chandler trailed off into a nervous laugh and came closer to him, unable to get the idea of Joey in a g-string out of his head. "Wh-when I thought it was gonna be you, um, as--as the guy, it terrified me. Still does. But--but if you'd be wearing g-strings," his mind delved deeper into the fantasy, "and, and, *doing stuff* for me..." He ran his hands along Joey's arms with increasing desire.  
  
Joey enjoyed watching Chandler become more breathless and aroused with each passing moment. "I make you hot, huh?" He wanted to hear Chandler admit it.  
  
"Yes," he nodded and licked his lips. "Yes." He kissed Joey impulsively, and liked it. Then he remembered something. "I'm--I'm an idiot. I threw the g-string away already."  
  
"That's okay," Joey whispered back with a smile. "We can be naked."  
  
They kissed again, and then half stumbled into the nearest bedroom and onto the bed, where they frantically stripped and groped each other. Joey eagerly demonstrated the whole range of things he was willing to do, much more than Chandler had ever dreamed likely, and Chandler discovered how much he loved making Joey moan.  
  
By the time that they re-emerged from Joey's bedroom, they had worked up ample appetite for the take-out food that Chandler had brought, and they talked about going down to a store and buying a few g-strings for Joey. Chandler didn't even care about getting into trouble for skipping out on work. His emergency at home had been resolved happily and passionately. 


End file.
